


A Chance Encounter Along Snakeway

by PuyoLover39



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Cell is large and in charge, Frieza ain't about to have his prey stolen from him, Friku, Goku is reckless and clumsy, It can be taken platonically too, M/M, Not really exclusively shippy, Not without a fight anyway, Set shortly after the Cell saga and before the Buu saga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 23:10:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21169427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuyoLover39/pseuds/PuyoLover39
Summary: When Goku is attempting to beat his personal best time for running along Snakeway, he trips and falls below the clouds that obscure the land of HFIL/Hell, where he has a chance encounter with not one, but two of his past enemies. What happens when he has to fight Cell when he isn't strong enough to beat him? Well, obviously he would be beaten by the machine. But not if Frieza has anything to say about.





	A Chance Encounter Along Snakeway

**Author's Note:**

> Soo, this is just a standalone oneshot that just came to me out of nowhere a while ago, but I never had the passion to do anything with it. Until now anyway, and its all thanks to a conversation I had with a new pal on Tumblr. So here it is, just like I promised you dear! Sorry it is so short and different from what I usually write.

*This takes place sometime after Cell's defeat, and Goku is training in otherworld.*

It had been a while since the defeat of a certain android and the consequent death of Son Goku. The bio-robot had gone to HFIL, while Goku, of course, got to keep his body and pretty much do as he pleased. 

So, he chose to do what he did best. Get stronger. The orange clad man had decided to use his time in the afterlife to train. He worked not only on his martial arts skills with King Kai, but on improving his speed and endurance as well, and the perfect way to do this was to run along the familiar path called Snakeway.

This was where he found himself currently, running the length of the path as quickly as he could. Feet pounding against stone rhythmically as he pushed himself to try and beat his old personal best time. The man seemed so absorbed in his desire to move as fast as possible, that he tripped over his own foot.

He let out a yelp of surprise as he stumbled forward, unknowingly falling over the edge of the road. It wasn't until he hit the ground that he realized where he was and what had happened. He swiftly stood and surveyed the area, immediately noticing a familiar figure, one which seemed to notice him as well.

“Well, if it isn't Son Goku. My how the mighty have fallen. What could you possibly have done to get sent here?”

The man in question simply narrowed his eyes, and answered calmly. Refusing to let the jab get to him.

“Cell. I didn't get sent here. I just fell down here ‘cause I tripped when I was running on Snakeway.”

The green machine laughed.

“Oh, it must be fate. You fell down here so I could get my revenge. Or, perhaps, were you just hoping for a powerful opponent to be your sparring partner? Oh well, it matters not. As long as I get to end you by my own hand. Right here. Right now.”

Without any further warning, the bug charged head on at the man, fist poised to strike. Goku's instincts instantly kicked in, as he delivered a sharp punch to the taller male's gut with one hand, and blocked the incoming attack with the other. 

The Saiyan had been training nonstop since he died, but he still knew he wasn't quite on par with Cell yet. But this did not stop him from giving it his all. With a vicious battle cry, his black hair turned blond and spiked itself up. This got a smirk from the other male, as he praised the alien for not wasting any time.

The two began to throw a flurry of swift kicks and powerful punches at each other, most being blocked, but some still managing to hit their intended target. Sadly, the fight was not as even as Goku would have hoped. He soon found himself being overwhelmed, as Cell began to get serious himself, and without anyone to buy him time to charge a spirit bomb, he didn't have much left in his arsenal. 

The onyx eyed male managed to land a decent kick to his enemy's chest, and pushed himself off of him to gain some distance. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he started to charge up the strongest attack he could, a Kamehameha. Cell seemed to have the same idea however, and began to build up his own Kamehameha as well.

Within seconds the two beams were smashed against one another, shaking the very ground the two mighty warriors stood upon, neither one giving an inch. That is, until Cell revealed he had only been humoring the Saiyan. With a shout of determination, the green foe sent a burst of extra energy into his beam, which caused it to overtake the other’s.

Not only was Cell's attack being thrown upon him, but his own as well. Goku had to act fast to try and stop it, throwing his hands against the energy and digging his heels into the ground, as he tried desperately to stop the blast. 

It was then that a blast of pink energy came from the side and knocked away the blue that was assaulting the Saiyan. At the same time, the two combatants turned identical shocked gazes to the blast’s source, and Goku got a huge surprise.

There, in all his short glory, stood the galactic and tyrannical emperor that he had bested on Namek, Frieza. He wore an angered look on his face, finger raised, teeth smashed together. 

“Cell. What exactly do you think you are doing? Goku is mine to destroy, not yours. I suggest you stop this now while I still have some patience left, or else I may very well be responsible for ending your existence today.” Spoke the pale white male, words dripping with faux civility and barely concealed venom, as he glared at the other villain.

Said villain seemed completely unfazed as he glared right back.

“Ah, Frieza, I was wondering who could possibly be dumb enough to interfere with my revenge. Sorry, but I don't think _you _are in any position to be giving _me _orders, after all, I am the strongest denizen of Hell.” 

Frieza gave a strained and clearly false smile, as he faked a laugh, a white fist flying up instinctively to cover his mouth. 

“Oh, that  _ is  _ a good one. You? The strongest occupant of Hell? My, I never knew you robots were such artificially born comedians. However, I am afraid I cannot let that little insult to my intellect slide. I will have to take your life as compensation, especially since you dared to attack that Saiyan when you already  _ knew _ he belonged to me.”

Goku stood bewildered as his old foe squared himself up for a fight and rushed at his current opponent without even a single word to Goku himself.

“Ha! Very well, come then! I will take you both on! It will be like killing two nuisances with one blast.”

Not really understanding what was happening, Goku lingered, watching the two go at it for a few minutes, until he realized that Frieza could not handle Cell on his own. Upon this realization, Goku flared up his Ki and flew forward to fight alongside the lizard-like male. 

After all, he knew he could take Frieza once all this was over should the tyrant decide to engage in battle with him, but Cell would take some good old fashioned teamwork to beat.

He was surprised to find that he and Frieza worked quite well together, moving around each other and attacking in tandem as if they had fought beside one another their entire lives. He had expected to get hit by the shorter male at least a handful of times before they found a rhythm that worked. 

But no such thing occurred. Nor did he accidentally friendly fire on Frieza. They simply wove around each other, blocking for one another, and attacking whenever they could. It wasn't long with this combined power before they had Cell on the ropes.

“You might as well concede victory now Cell. You are clearly outnumbered and outmatched. But if you still insist on meddling with my affairs, then I can call in Ginyu and his men to come play with us as well.”

Cell growled at the red eyed male, his hand fisting in the dirt below him as he glared up from his kneeling position, clearly upset to have been beaten after talking such a big game but relenting anyway.

“Fine. I get it Frieza. I'll back off for now. It's not like you can beat him yourself as you are now anyway. He'll still be around for me to exact my revenge upon later, so I don't mind calling it a day.”

The tyrant growled at the bugman's words, the finger he had pointed between Cell's eyes glowed with a bright pink light, ready to deliver the final blow that would end the technological terror. That is, until Cell pushed himself to his feet and gave him an unimpressed look while he dusted himself off.

"Oh please, were you never taught how rude it is to point Frieza? Put your finger down fool, we both know how much trouble you would get in if you were to fire that final blast. With the commotion we've caused, I am certain that this place will be swarmed with guards all too soon. If you keep this little scrap up, then they will put us both in solitary for at least a century. Which would mean we would both lose our chance to kill this fool. So if I were you, I would get while the getting is still good." 

The Ice-jin snarled in anger at his prey's back as the man stalked off, but he couldn't fault the taller evildoers logic, after all he had been in Hell for longer than Cell had so he knew all too well how things worked. But that didn't mean he was happy about it, so with scowl, he allowed him to walk away, leaving just him and his currently powered down and befuddled archenemy. 

“Thanks for the help Frieza, but, uh, why  _ did _ you help me exactly?”

The emperor scoffed, as if he had been asked the most obvious question in existence and couldn't believe he had to actually provide an answer. Which, considering he had already said why he was helping him, that wasn't too far off. But instead of blowing his lid like Goku had expected, Frieza simply crossed his arms and turned away from the man, preparing to take off himself. 

“Come now Goku, why do you  _ think _ I gave you my aid? It was because I could not allow that man to defeat you. Nobody is allowed to best you except for me. I, and I alone, will be the one to claim victory over you! So until that day comes, you must be more careful and make certain that you do not lose to anyone. Am I understood?”

The Saiyan blinked owlishly as he processed the lizard's words for a moment, before suddenly smiling at the other male's back, eyes narrowed and burning with understanding, as well as a yearning for a promised battle not yet to come.

“Yeah, I hear ya loud and clear Frieza. You just keep getting stronger, and I'll do the same. Then, whenever you're ready for our rematch, come and find me, cause I'll be waiting.”

The villain chuckled, eyes sliding closed in an almost calm manner, as if the interaction were something familiar that brought him a sense of relaxation and peace. which, considering he was in as hostile an environment as Hell, it made sense that he would revel in the comfort of such an interaction while he could. After all, he didn't have to be on guard around Goku, the Saiyan would not attempt to harm him in any form or fashion without announcing his intentions first, that was just who he was. Especially not after tyrant had just risked his own neck for him like he did. 

Frieza gave the orange clad man a smirk over his shoulder, then without further delay, took his leave with a sense of grace and speed that only he possessed. All the while Goku watched him go excitedly, a large smile still plastered on his face.

“Maybe he's not so bad after all, but even if he is, I can't help but feel my body itchin' to tangle with him again, too bad it looks like I'll have to wait a while. Oh well. Guess I better go and try to find one of those guard guys to show me the way outta here. King Kai's probably really worried about me by now.”

The man then spun on his heel and took off himself, ready to leave hell and get back to his much loved training. That way, he would be ready when the time came, able, and more than willing to keep the promise he'd just made when the to his smaller adversary. Until then, he could only fantasize about their inevitable encounter and how much stronger the emperor would be. Because even if he didn't want it, their clash was not something that could be avoided.

Some believed the red thread of fate that bound two individuals who were destined to meet each other to be solely for romantic purposes, but those people had never bothered to even consider why it was that the thread was red. It was entirely possible that thread was the color that it was because it had been dyed that color by the blood spilled during a heated battle. 

There is simply no way of knowing the intent of the relationship forged by the thread, it could be that the two beings were destined to be enemies, or friends, or lovers, the only thing known for certain about the thread's purpose is that it binds two people together. It makes sure that the two parties meet one another, again and again. So while he and Frieza were definitely bound by a special thread of fate, it wasn't set in stone in what way they were bound.

They may be enemies for now, but who knows, maybe just maybe, their continued meetings and subsequent altercations will lead them somewhere else. Perhaps, with time, they could become friends, or even something more. Who could say? Other than fate itself of course. But for the two men on the ends of the string, they would just have to wait and see how things unfold for themselves. Even if neither one was a particularly patient person. 

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I know, Frieza has his own special Hell. Yeah, I know, HFIL isn't what it was really called, that was just a censorship for the English version, but I think it is funny so I used it. Sorry for this dumb little post, I know it was terrible. But worry not, we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming on Nov. 4th. So until then, this was just something for y'all to snack on and keep your attention. And for those who have no idea who I am or what I'm talking about because you viewed this platonically, just ignore me. I hope you got some kind of enjoyment from this. Until next time, stay beautiful guys, gals and non gendered pals!


End file.
